Variables - User Created - Font Size

Question

Greetings,
Using Framemaker 7 and find that I have a copyrighted term to include. I created a variable and was able to use the 'Superior' tag (?) to make the copyright symbol that's superscript, unfortunately it makes the rest of the variable superscript.
I like the variables because I can change it once and the entire book is updated.
The term in question is often part of the document title, and so would need to be 18 points on that one occasion. I notice that using the superior tag gives MUCH smaller than the 36 used for the document title page. So the copyright symbol ends up near the bottom of the previous, 36 point, type. Unfortuantely, if I use the [tag] Default ¶ Font [tag] variable, it returns to the document's default font.
In any case, it raises a question: Is it possible to 'unapply' a character format inside a user-created variable, or perhaps to set a font size within the variable? Maybe back to the 'original' (not default) font size so that no matter what the document has on the cover, it would start and end using that font?
I'd rather not have multiple variables for the same information, if possible.
I've seen a couple of posts here that talk about creating a set of 'master variables' in a template or something. I also found the information here:
http://www.freeframers.org/archive/98/msg00499.html
It's got some interesting variable ideas, but when I tried to create anything like that I ended up seeing, as the output, the actual 'angle bracket' tags and everything as though it were all text. There is clearly 'variable' information that I'm just not finding in the Help info.
Any info would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Solon

Answer 1

Hi Solon,
You've got some things right, but I'll walk you through your example for the variable to define: "Term®"
First, you need to create the <Superior> character tag, and ensure that only the Superscript property is enabled.
One quick way to do this is to click anywhere outside the text frame (to ensure that no text is currently selected). Then open the Character Designer (ctrl + d) and set all of the properties to AsIs (use the shift + F8 shortcut).
Now set ONLY the superscript property for the tag, enter the name of the tag "Superior" and click Apply or the Commands > New Format to add it to your Character catalog.
Now that you have the character tag defined, you can create your variable.
Open the Special > Variable... window and click on the Create Variable button.
In the Edit User Variable window enter a name for what you want to call this variable, e.g. myProduct.
Now enter the defintion using the building blocks as required, i.e. enter the "Term" then click on the <Superior> in the Character formats building block list on the right. Then enter the ® and stop the superscript formatting by either clicking on the <Default ¶ Format> building block OR entering </> building block. You can continue entering content in the variable at this point and the superscript formatting will not affect anything following the </> entry.
Click on the Add and then the Done buttons to add your definition to the Variable catalog.
Now click on the Insert button to actually insert the variable into your document.
If you need to use the variable again, you use the shortcut key sequences to quickly insert: ctrl + 0 (zero) to activate the Variable selection in the Status bar (lower left corner of the document window will show a Blue section) and then start typing your vairable name, e.g. myProduct. FM will match the characters to the variables in the catalog as you type, so you may already have a match by the second characer. The variable name is displayed in the blue area at the lower-left. As soon as you see the match, hit the ENTER key to insert the variable.
I hope this helps takle some of the mystery out of defining and using variables.